LITMIR.BIZ

       CHAPTER ONE

      “BUY ME AT the charity auction.”

      Nurse Kami Clark didn’t look up from the computer screen where she keyed in vital signs on the patient in bay two of the Knoxville General Hospital’s emergency department.

      Doing her best not to let her eyes veer in Dr. Gabriel Nelson’s direction, she made a nurse’s note on the normal results. “Not happening.”

      Wearing his favorite blue scrubs, Gabe moved into her peripheral vision. She didn’t have to look to know the color paled in comparison to the brilliant hue of his eyes.

      “You know you want me, Kam. Here’s your chance.”

      “Right,” she snorted, keeping her voice flippant despite how his accusation almost sent her into a choking fit. “Keep dreaming, lover boy.”

      Most straight women did want Gabe. Not that he typically encouraged their desire. He didn’t have to. Not with his looks, personality, and quick intelligence. The fact he was a successful emergency-room physician didn’t hurt. Women flocked to him.

      But not Kami.

      Oh, she thought he was all that and more. The man had the biggest heart of anyone she knew and seemed to always be able to make her laugh. But she knew better than to get caught up in his revolving-door love life that left a long line of broken hearts. She was immune to his love-’em-and-leave-’em charms. Mostly.

      “More like I’m trying to escape a nightmare in the making.” He gave a frustrated sigh that was almost believable as he plopped down into the chair next to hers. “Debbie is planning to buy my date.”

      Ah. Debbie. The latest ex-girlfriend who didn’t want to admit it was over and had been finished for a month or so.

      No wonder Gabe was in such a tizzy. Debbie had stuck like glue even after he’d told her point-blank on several occasions that their relationship was finished. The poor woman must be hoping to rekindle a spark. Good luck with that.

      Gabe never dated the same woman for more than a couple of months and never went back to the same one. Not once. He was a move-on-and-never-look-back kind of guy.

      “You have to rescue me.”

      “Says who? You got yourself into this mess,” she reminded him, fighting back a small smile at her friend’s overly dramatic tone. She could almost buy into his angst. “It’s only right for you to face the consequences.”

      “I was roped into this charity fund-raiser and you know it. Not only do you know it—” he leaned close enough so that his words were just for her “—you’re the one who convinced me to say yes.”

      “I meant the Debbie mess, not the auction,” she clarified, fighting the urge to look his way. Better not to look into Gabe’s eyes when he was trying to convince you to do something. Staring into those dazzling blues got women into trouble. Immune or not, she wasn’t taking any chances.

      “Besides,” Kami continued, “even if you had to spend a week with your beautiful and persistent ex, if it raised money to help Beverly’s family and others like her, then so be it.”

      Anything any of them could do to raise money for their coworker’s seriously ill infant daughter needed to be done. Although their medical insurance was covering many of the expenses, there were still co-pays and deductibles. Not to mention Beverly had been out of work since giving birth, as had her husband, most of it as unpaid leave of absence. Even after Lindsey got her heart transplant, months would pass prior to Beverly leaving her baby’s side to return to work. Their friend had enough worries without having to be concerned about how she and her husband were going to pay their bills.

      “Easy for you to say,” Gabe pointed out. “You aren’t on the auction block.”

      Yeah, as one of the fund-raiser’s organizers she’d dodged that bullet.

      “I’ll be working the night of the auction, but not by being auctioned.” Thank goodness. Kami would have been a statue. Not her scene at all.

      “Not the same,” he pointed out.

      “You love the attention and you know it,” she accused, closing out the patient’s chart. Fun-loving Gabe would work the stage and have a blast.

      She glanced at him for the first time since he’d barged into the nurses’ station located across from the patient bays.

      Her incorrigible playboy friend actually looked a little frazzled.

      “Fortunately for you, it’s not a week, just one night where you have to show Debbie—I mean, whoever wins your date—a good time.”

      Okay, that was bad but she couldn’t resist teasing him. It was so rare to see him off his game. Actually, she couldn’t recall having ever seen him off his game. Not during any crisis that came through the ER doors. Given he was such a goofball at times, Gabe was one coolheaded dude.

      Plus, she wasn’t buying his woe-is-me-buy-my-date-package-so-Debbie-can’t act.

      “You’re real funny, Kam.”

      “Come on. That was a good one.” Kami had thought so. He didn’t look convinced. “I’m sure you’ll manage one night with Debbie if needed.”

      After all, he dealt with situations and people a lot more intense than the Z-list television actress he’d been involved with still obsessing over him. Debbie might be crazy over Gabe, but the woman didn’t have any real psychiatric problems.

      “And risk encouraging her nonstop calls and texts continuing?” He winced. “Thanks anyway.”

      Kami raked her gaze over his six-foot frame. “You’re not that bad, Gabe.” She patted his hand as if reassuring a small child. “There will be other bidders.” Faking a look of uncertainty, she shrugged. “Well, hopefully.”

      One side of his mouth cocked upward. “Gee, thanks for the compliment, friend.”

      “Anytime,” she assured him, her lips twitching. “What are friends for?”

      Eyes sparkling, he gave a pointed look. “To rescue each other when one’s relentless ex plans to buy her way back into your social life.”

      He had a point.

      If Kami believed he was in real need, she’d probably empty her house-deposit fund to bail out his butt. Good thing he wasn’t because she’d been hoarding every spare penny for years, had a hefty down payment saved, and would hate to have to start over to make her dream of owning a home come true just as she finally had enough saved to actually start looking for the perfect house.

      “Just because Debbie plans to bid doesn’t mean she’d be the winner,” she said on a more serious note. “Stop worrying.”

      He didn’t look assured. “Debbie doesn’t like to lose.”

      Kami gave a semi-shrug. “Who does?”

      He raked his fingers through his hair. “Come on, Kam. Place the winning bid and I’ll show you the night of a lifetime.” He waggled his

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